3 Takeaways From Hurricanes’ Conference Final 6-1 Game 5 Clinch

After 20 long years, the Carolina Hurricanes are heading back to the Stanley Cup Final. Following their Game 1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, the Hurricanes pulled off the gentleman sweep, ending the series in five games. Much like Game 4, the Hurricanes utterly dominated en route to a 6-1 victory on Friday night (May 29). Between the second line running ruckshot to Frederik Andersen shutting the door to a whole team effort, the Hurricanes made it their mission to clinch on home ice and punch their ticket for the first time since 2006.

Takeaway #1: “Junkyard Dog Line” Absolutely Feasted on Canadiens

As they have all been in the postseason, the “Junkyard Dog Line” of Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, and Taylor Hall feasted on a gassed Canadiens team, leading the way to the 6-1 rout. The second line added eight more points to their already impressive total with multiple point nights from all three guys. Every player on that line got a goal in the effort, with Stankoven and Hall tallying two assists in the process.

Following their win, Blake called Stankoven and Hall junkyard dogs, which was backed up by Stankoven during the postgame press conferences. “Both of us love playing with Blaker and love playing with Hallsy. We’re kind of like junkyard dogs. Just hunting pucks, and we all use our speed, creativity, and our hockey IQ to our advantage. We try to find each other out there, and we’re not afraid to go to the net. It’s a lot of fun playing with these guys, and hopefully we can keep this up.”

Those three players have, without a doubt, shown why they’re the best line in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They have combined for 19 goals and 43 points, along with a plus-27 rating through 13 games. While the journey is not over, and the ultimate goal has not been achieved, expect these three to continue their quest to have an entire line make a case for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Takeaway #2: Frederik Andersen Is Elite

What else is there to be said about Andersen? After a tough regular season, the Danish netminder is on a Conn Smythe front-runner level of hockey through 13 playoff games this postseason. He was a Cole Caufield power-play goal away from his second straight shutout, giving up one goal in the Game 5 win. He’s now won 12 games, giving up two goals or fewer in each of those games.

He currently has a 12-1 record with a 1.41 goals-against average (GAA) and a .931 save percentage (SV%) and is showing no signs of slowing down, even with the Vegas Golden Knights coming up. Andersen had a .958 SV% in the Game 5 victory, after putting up a 1.000 in Game 4. Talk about closing out a series in style, allowing one goal in six periods of play.

Following the win, Jordan Martinook had some high praise and love for his goalie after a tough couple of days following the news of his agent, Claude Lemieux, passing away. “I can’t say enough about the goalie he is, but then I’ve been with him for four years, and he’s a great friend. For him to get that news yesterday and then obviously know that this was an important game and for him to play the way he did… I don’t ever want anybody to go through that. We know Brendan [Lemieux], too. It’s hard for a lot of people. Thinking about their family, it’s horrible, but for Freddie to play the way he did. I just love that guy. I’m proud of him.”

Andersen is playing the best playoff hockey not just for the Hurricanes, but in his career as a whole. He is playing at an otherworldly level, and he will be someone to watch in the Stanley Cup Final as he looks to bring it home with the team that drafted him first many moons ago before joining the Anaheim Ducks to begin his career.

Takeaway #3: 20 Years in the Making

Back in December, the Hurricanes celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the 2006 Stanley Cup Final-winning team with not one but two celebrations. Former alumni came back to celebrate the biggest moment in the franchise’s history while having their annual alumni game in the middle of it all. Fast forward to the end of May, and the Hurricanes are back for the first time in 20 years.

Not only that, they’re the first ever one-loss team to make it that far. Since the 1987 playoff expansion to four rounds of best-of-seven hockey, the 2012 Los Angeles Kings and 1988 Edmonton Oilers came closest to this feat, going 12-2. After knocking on the door twice in the past four seasons, the third time was the charm, and now the Hurricanes are four wins away from their second-ever Stanley Cup. It’ll be the toughest four games for them, but the way they’ve been playing in these playoffs, they are more than up to the task.

They’ll take the next day or so to celebrate and soak in the moment of heading back to the Stanley Cup Final. But rest assured, they will be ready to go on Tuesday, June 2, for Game 1 against the Golden Knights. They’re back on the biggest stage in the NHL, and they’re looking to bring back Lord Stanley to Raleigh, NC, after two decades.